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Meredith McDonald

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Meredith McDonald Meredith McDonald is my "professional" name - chosen after receiving a BA in Dramatic Art from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Masters in Acting from Ohio University. Having chosen no "spiritual name" before joining ADF, I decided to use Meredith as a pledge to myself and my community to never hide my spirituality from my career. Now, as I watch the silver screen fade from my professional reach, I know there may never be a star on the Boulevard with my name on it - but, if there is, it'll be a "Neopagan Druid's" star.

(Actually there is now a star on Hollywood Blvd with my legal name - Elizabeth McDonald - on it. It just hangs on my office door at the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, where I am the Vice President of Tourism and Special Events. A reminder to be very specific when making wishes on stars!)

It is the commitment to public paganism that draws me so much to ADF. Members of Our Druidry may always be in debate about what and who we are - but the most important mission, for me, describes a sense of public service and vision that I to want support - particularly our requirements on public ritual. Having been solitary for several years before originally finding Raven's Cry Grove, I respect ADF's commitment to giving people a way to celebrate spirituality as a group. Now, as Senior Druid for Awen's Breath Grove, ADF I am able to lead others in providing that outlet to our Los Angeles pagan community.

I chose this path after an estrangement with my loosely Protestant background. For me, "Druidry" has always felt right. I've always liked the idea of a Druid being a student of religion as much as a practitioner. I think, with as little as we actually know about our Paleopagan predecessors, "students" are all we can hope to be. Learning is a vital part of my own spirituality, though I don't necessarily tie that learning to books. (ADF in general could do with less focus on "scholarship" in my humble opinion.) I believe that the path of Druidry is one of self-discovery that is tied directly to the world around us, both natural and societal.

As Chief of the ADF Seers Guild, I am constantly disciplining myself in a variety of divinatory tools - including Ogham and the Runes. I am a professional clairaudient, and read when I can at Cauldron in Silverlake, CA. I began reading in Northeast Ohio - where I also wandered through woods and rivers and followed animals and "shapeshifted" and journaled incessantly. I came out of all of that with particular affinities. Mainly for animal omenry and ability to call crows. (Seems perfect for Letterman's "Stupid Human Tricks" eh?)

Outside of spiritual work - I sang for three seasons with the Cleveland Opera. I taught voice/articulation for Baldwin Wallace College. My partner in love and life, Jack Richards, and I wrote, directed and produced interactive mystery theater for our company, BITS Entertainment, for ten years. This work made me particularly adept at "group dynamics." (The majority of our work was with corporate team building. This trained me always to try to see the path of the people I am dealing with before allowing myself to respond emotionally. It's a daily struggle ;>)

My vision for ADF is already written. I have no other vision, frankly. I joined this organization based on the information on the website that introduces us to the world. I can imagine no better vision for ADF than Isaac's 100 year plan.

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